JAPANESE-FRENCH JOINT COMMUNIQUÉ ON CO-OPERATION IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

1. Both Japan and France are leading countries in the world in the field of science and technology, and further advancement of bilateral co-operation in this field is expected. Both Governments share the view that progress in science and technology will play an important role in promoting the welfare of the mankind in the new millennium as well as achieving economic development.

2. From this perspective, the Governments of Japan and France strongly hope that the bilateral co-operation in science and technology, including personnel exchanges, will continue to be pursued vigorously in broad areas such as space, life science, information and communication technologies, environment, oceanology, and nuclear energy :

(1) Space

Space is one of the most fruitful areas of bilateral co-operation in science and technology. The Governments of Japan and France will promote bilateral co-operation in the area of earth observation through using satellites, such as ALOS, that contribute to understand natural disasters. They welcome the agreement on the action plan between NASDA and CNES under the initiative of the ministers for science and technology.

(2) Life science

a. Life science is one of the areas where both Governments are actively undertaking research activities, in particular in the field of cancer and in other areas such as genome, neurosciences and agricultural sciences. The two Governments welcome that, as a new endeavour of bilateral co-operation in this area, consensus was reached to consider exchange of researchers between Genopole and the Japanese side and the two Governments will extend support to further co-operation between them.

b. The two Governments have been among the major contributors and will continue to support the Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP)

(3) Environment

Preservation of environment is indispensable for the sound and sustainable development of economies and societies. Various co-operative activities between the two Governments have been conducted in this area which include joint research on the environmental protection such as prevention of pollution, waste disposal and conservation of water quality and water treatment. Further advancement of bilateral co-operation in this area is expected.

(4) Oceanology

a. The Governments of Japan and France will support the promotion of the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) and continue their co-operation for the environmental monitoring of the marine creatures and the coastal sea.

b. The two Governments are ready to promote multilateral co-operation in the field of global change, including the climate prediction, and particularly the Array for Real-time Geostrophic Oceanography (ARGO) programme.

(5) Nuclear Energy

The two Governments will continue to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy in order to ensure energy stability and global environmental protection, while paying due regard to safety. Bilateral co-operation has developed in wide areas, including nuclear safety and R&D in nuclear fuel cycle such as fast reactors and radioactive waste management. Both Governments expect such co-operation will further develop in the future.

(6) Co-operation in other areas (Micromechanics, Road technology, etc.)

a. The Government of Japan and France welcome the achievement so far made in the mecatronics joint research and its applications towards fibre optics communication and biomedicine, and expect further progress in this area.

b. The two Governments expect further development of co-operation in the fields of materials, advanced technologies, and the new transportation system for the next generation which are safer and more friendly to the environment.

c. The science and technology co-operation agreement between Japan and France concluded in 1974 and amended in 1991, and the committees set forth by the agreement constitute the core mechanism to advance the bilateral co-operation in science and technology.

The two Governments will consider with attention the recommendations to boost this co-operation made by the joint advisory committee held in Tokyo during the Prime Minister Jospin's visit to Japan. In order to implement them in an appropriate manner, they will hold a joint committee meeting in France at a time convenient for both sides in 2000.